Kirby Smart 'feels good' about Robert Beal after Tennessee injury
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia head coach Kirby Smart shared Mississippi State week injury updates on Monday, specifically on Robert Beal. The super-senior pass rusher left the game in the third quarter but Smart said that he “feels good” a couple days later.
“Robert had a stinger. He feels good,” Smart said. “I haven’t seen him today, but we feel good about him playing.”
Beal ended up going into the locker room after his exit with what TV described as a neck injury. In his postgame press conference, Smart said that Beal went in for an X-ray and at the time, he had not heard the result.
Beal’s injury comes shortly after Georgia lost junior outside linebacker Nolan Smith for at least the rest of the 2022 regular season and a potential SEC Championship Game. Smith, UGA’s leader in sacks and tackles for loss, has an extreme outside shot of returning should Georgia make the College Football Playoff.
Beal doesn’t yet have a sack in 2022 but he came into this game with more snaps than Smith at outside linebacker. He has been used quite a bit on early downs, allowing Smith to come in and rush on third down.
But just last season Beal led Georgia in sacks on its National Championship run. He tallied six on the season thanks to a late season surge in playing time and productivity once Adam Anderson was suspended from the team due to off-field issues.
Sophomore outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss carried the load with Beal out. Georgia also used Marvin Jones Jr., a true freshman, later on in the game.
“We certainly need Robert to be healthy, otherwise we’re going to be thin at that position,” Smart added later in the press conference.
Other Injury Updates
Smart also shared updates on AD Mitchell, Xavier Truss and Amarius Mims noting that he’s hopeful all three of the offensive pieces might be able to return this week.
“We’re hopeful to get each one of them back this week,” Smart added when asked about the trio.
Mitchell (ankle), Truss (turf toe) and Mims (knee) did not appear on offense for the Bulldogs while Truss was on the field with the kicking unit.
Mitchell suffered a high ankle sprain in Georgia’s second game of the season against Samford and missed the next three outings for the Bulldogs. He returned briefly against Auburn but has missed the three most recent games. Smart shared prior to Tennessee week that Mitchell’s injury has been classified as a high ankle sprain. Overall, he has played just five snaps since the opener against Oregon.
Georgia is back in action next Saturday in Starkville, Miss. going up against Mike Leach’s and Mississippi State air raid attack. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
